Felons' view of freedom often rosier than reality

Many coming to Houston find a struggle they're not prepared for, survey indicates

PEGGY O'HARE, Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle |
November 26, 2005

Larquonelius Roberts was released from prison almost two years ago, but he's still living with his mother and struggling to find what he considers respectable employment.

Although he earns $5.15 an hour on such jobs as digging ditches and unloading trucks, he knows he must aim higher to be self-sufficient. He wants to build his credit. He dreams of going to college.

"I knew it was going to be hard, but not this hard," said Roberts, 23, of Houston, who served a 7 1/2 -year sentence for aggravated assault. "I'm going on being out two years now, but I still don't have a real job. I just need a job. I'm just asking for one shot."

Roberts is facing obstacles that are typical for most ex-convicts, who leave one struggle behind as they walk out of prison, only to find a new one awaiting them.

And in the case of Texas prison inmates returning to the Houston area, a recent study indicates the struggle may be even harder, with many of them emotionally unprepared for the challenges they face.

Inmates' expectations

Researchers for the nonpartisan policy research group the Urban Institute interviewed 676 inmates shortly before their release from prisons and state jails and found most thought it would be "easy" to support themselves, renew family relationships and stay out of trouble. The group comprised 414 men and 262 women who planned to return to Houston.

The reality that awaits ex-convicts is much harsher, experts say.

Many find that prospective employers are reluctant to give people with felony records a chance to prove themselves, and finding rental properties that will allow felons to sign a lease can be even tougher. Also, experts say, family members long separated from them by steel bars may not be willing to reconnect.

But one Urban Institute researcher said the inmates' optimism is simply human nature.

"I really do believe they have every hope and every intent of making it this time," said Nancy La Vigne, one of the study's authors. "The disconnect comes after release, when they have no support system."

Researchers found 71 percent of those surveyed expected to support themselves easily, although only 15 percent had jobs waiting for them. Most acknowledged they would need help with education, job training, money, transportation and health care.

The study also found that 79 percent expected it to be easy to renew family relationships. As many as 63 percent expected to live with their families and 54 percent said they would rely on loved ones for financial support.

A large majority also expected to avoid future trouble, including 84 percent who said it would be easy to stay out of prison.

Support system needed

The findings don't match up with former inmates' recidivism rates, La Vigne said.

"Expectations are high, yet they're not really consistent with what we know," she said. "Right before release, they're in a place where they are open to assistance ... "

Inmates nearing release need counseling and other support systems to help them understand that the transition to freedom won't be easy, she said.

Most of those surveyed were not newcomers to the criminal justice system. Nearly two-thirds had been convicted more than once and 35 percent were serving time for a parole or probation violation.

Like Roberts, Earnest M. Thomas, 61, has struggled to rebuild his life since his January release after serving 23 years for aggravated robbery. His challenges aren't posed by lack of education. During his imprisonment, Thomas earned a master's degree in humanities, took a computer class and taught himself Spanish. Still, he is searching for steady work.

He believes his age and his record — "the X on my back" — are hindering his quest for a job. When he applied recently at a sanitation company for the lowest positions available, he said, "they just shook their heads."

Inmates 'not being honest'

Roberts, Thomas and those who work with inmates question whether the responses to the survey reflect most inmates' true expectations.

"The truth is, they will not be accepted by society. The truth is, they will need help getting a job and getting a place to live," said Carlin, who said he has counseled thousands of inmates. "And the truth is, they will need help to re-establish a healthy relationship with their family."

Such optimism about the free world is not uncommon, Carlin said. Some, he said, "think they're going to get the ideal job, live in the ideal apartment, and the world is going to slow down for them to get on."

That attitude is more typical among first-time offenders, observers say. Those who have been to prison more than once are more pessimistic, say ex-offenders such as Roberts and Thomas.

"A lot of doors are slammed in our faces. A lot of employers don't want us to work for them," said Roseanna "Rosey" Ruiz, manager of Houston Mayor Bill White's re-entry program for ex-offenders. "There is a lot of fear."

Success stories

There also are thousands of success stories, Ruiz says, including her own. Before straightening out her life, she says, she was arrested 14 times and sent to prison twice. A veteran of four treatment programs, the recovering addict says she has been drug-free for 11 years and is a longtime volunteer in the prison system.

Ruiz, who helped launch the re-entry program in the mayor's Citizens'Assistance Office four years ago, says she fields about 200 calls a week from former inmates trying to rebuild their lives in the Houston area. Now she is trying to launch an ex-offenders' support group.

"There are tons of us out here: good, hardworking, positive people that are tired of living that negative lifestyle," she said. "So many of us are turning this thing around."

But that isn't easy, she adds.

Preparation starts inside

She urges inmates to start preparing themselves while still locked up, taking classes on cognitive intervention and parenting, as well as attending groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

A resilient attitude also helps, because rejection will come in abundance, whether from family, employers or housing owners, experts say.

Many of those released from prison — especially those with long criminal histories — are tired of the consequences of their behavior and want productive lives, but can't find anyone willing to give them a chance, Ruiz said.

"What a lot of these people are seeking is stability in their lives," she said. " ... A lot more needs to be done to help them."

More social services also are needed, Ruiz and others say.

"If they have zero to come out to," said Chuck Hurt, a former board member with the Texas Inmate Families Association, "then their chances of success are very slim."